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Show Legion's Salute to Buddies in France Leaving the shouting and tumult of their convention behind, thousands of American Legionnaires reverently set out on the real pilgrimage of their visit to France last year. They left for the battlefields of Reims, Lille and Verdun to visit the graves of their comrades in arms who fell in the great upheaval. At the Palais du Trocadero they had heard General Pershing and Marshal Mar-shal Fcch vaunt their heroic war deeds and later they solemnly placed a wreath at the tomb of Lafayette. Later they were the guests of Presi-den Presi-den Doumergue and still later enjoyed Marshal Foch's hospitality at a garden gar-den party. All these events paved the way for the real purpose of their visit to France. They were there to look upon the little wooden crosses, standing row on row, In the former war torn area where their brothers fought and fell. After all the preliminaries this heartfelt heart-felt purpose was accomplished. Impatient to pay tribute to their dead comrades, a thousand Legionnaires Legion-naires set-off for Verdun cockpit of France traveling in immense motor cars. It was a subdued and quiet group which went to visit their dead, leaving the carnival spirit behind in Paris. The big parade in Paris, which will go down in French history as a marvel mar-vel of American organization and efficiency, effi-ciency, had placed the visitors from overseas prominently before the population popu-lation of Paris but next day brought the renewal of old acquaintances in towns, villages and hamlets in the hills they knew in the war. On the road from Verdun to St. Mihiel, two miles from Verdun, is a little cemetery called "the cemetery of he unknowns." The Americans stood at attention for a full minute before, be-fore, the graves of these nameless heroes. The people of Verdun and St. Mihiel gave an enthusiastic reception to the Legionnaires. At Reims a ceremony of thanks' was held by the people in expressing their gratitude "to the people of the United States not only for their aid in the war hut for their help in reconstruction." re-construction." Lille, decked out In flags, gave a cordial greeting to the Americans, in fact, every place through which they passed roared welcome. |